Well I never doubted Hobie would promptly replace the parts but this exceeded my expectations! Thanks to Chris at the Sailing Scene and Steve Fields Hobie Aus the parts are ready to be picked up. Only problem is I can't get down there till Monday as I'm working this weekend. Thanks also to Matt for his response to this problem.

Nohuhu,I had an early problem with loose and missing mast base receiver screws but I fixed that and loctite ensured it has not loosened. My initial reaction to the mast banging on each tack was a loose v-brace but it is tight. I'm familiar with the loose mast drum problem (that occured on my AI) but the TI drum is tight.

Ainut,Thanks for that advice. Whilst those screws aren't loose they could probably be tightened a bit. I had been wary of overtightening but it looks like more tension is needed. I'll be sure to use loctite when I replace the XBar.

Chris,I miss Kev too. It would have been so much simpler had he still been in business. I only tried the Northern dealer as he is 1/2 hour closer. We did get our Oasis there before Kev opened locally.

Matt,Is there a recommended tension for the crossbar and the V-Brace locating bolts?

We don't have torque specs on any products. Must be impossible due to the construction materials... flex?

Be sure the "V" brace is ridgid and pressing down on the hull in the center. Check for any possible movement at the base. Check the bolts that pass through the crossbar to attach to the mast cup. Check the cup attachment bolts to the deck and again the crossbar clamps.

just a suggestion; but maybe with all the new TI's (and other Hobie's) you could add a pice of paper to the information pack outlining all the 'maintenance/checks such as the one mentioned above. I know when I got mine I wanted this info. The forum has some of this but is would be nice to got it with the new boat.

Hey Matt is this issue and its resolution the same with the new cross bar design on the AI? Obviously the mast forces are much lower so I'm wondering if the "old" single weld design is sufficient on an AI. I have noticed some wear on the top face of the bearing plate where my mast spins, is this an indication that I have a problem or something else.Thanks.

We were sailing on the Lake Worth Lagoon with my 3 yr old son in only a 10 knot breeze. Fortunately, the mast remained standing in the cup and no one was hurt. We will submit a warranty claim through our dealer.

Hobie, any progress with the roll out of the weld enhancement to the TI fleet?

Due to the TI's incredible versatility, this breakage didn't stop our fun. After furling the sail, we continued in kayak mode. A fun time was had by all.

Does anyone have a photo of what the back side of the cross bar with the new improved welds is supposed to look like? Our TI is late 2010 and I don't think it's any different from these. But I might not know what I am looking for.

As of a recent check at the factory... this change has not yet entered production for the TI. New parts are working their way into the system still. The Back of the beam would show welds for about 4-6 inches where the plate extended through to the aft of the extrusion.

The change is an improvement, but not as critical as originally thought. Seems that some may have been cracked during some kind of alignment adjustment during assembly leading to later failure.

Actually the welds on my AKA cross bar look to be cracked also, the unit has not fallen off or anything. ( I 'm an aluminum welder and the cracks looks to be from heat shrinkage, basically the whole unit heated up when welded originally, and as it cooled down, it cracked on the ends of the welds and separated from the base metal at the edge of the weld bead (mostly on the ends). I'm not saying the welding itself was lousy, because it is actually pretty good, its just the combination of the weld lengths, and the parent metal being very thin, makes for a difficult weld situation (as originally designed), and prone to the cracking on the ends (losing about half of it's intended strength). From the description Matt gives on how they are correcting the problem, it's the correct way to fix the problem. I also have experienced the strange banging noises in the mast holder once in a while since the boat was new, I have read about some of the problems and re-check all the bolts and screws often. I recently had the boat at the dealer (they replaced the hull for a different (unrelated) problem). He noticed the cracks in the AKA mount and took pictures, and said he would get back to me. We picked up the boat in Sarasota from the dealer on our way to Key West for a couple weeks of sailing and scuba diving, so far so good everything is working perfectly. You have to give Hobiecat company and their dealer network credit for not just putting out great products (we know they do that very well), but also standing behind them with hands down the best support in the industry (both dealers and factory) Bob

I have a TI that is just 2 weeks old. One of the first things I checked when I got it was whether it had the improved thru-weld. I found that it did not - as per Matt's post.Now I've just gotta hope it doesn't break too

As of a recent check at the factory... this change has not yet entered production for the TI. New parts are working their way into the system still. ... The change is an improvement, but not as critical as originally thought.

I sail the TI several times a week, often with family and friends with very young children. It would be very unfortunate if the mast bearing plate were to break again and the mast were to fall and injure any of my passengers.

Any chance the new replacement front cross bar that Hobie will be sending my dealer can contain the improved welds? I appreciate your understanding.

Any chance the new replacement front cross bar that Hobie will be sending my dealer can contain the improved welds?

I did not see any in stock for the TI as I noted. Again, it is believed that the issue was related to how the plates were bent post weld, so any current TI is not expected to have the problem. If you have not yet received a replacement, have your dealer contact warranty with your request. That is the best way to proceed.